This Way to Adventure.

The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."  I have to admit that I've been at a loss for the right words for this post.  I've known the title for probably two months, but no words.  Life has a way of testing my patience and it's safe to say that I'm in that moment right now with my current adventure.  But!  I can also say that the blessings are PLENTIFUL.  I am so grateful for the rays of sunshine that surround me and offer random pep talk text messages, inspirational quotes on my Facebook page, dinners, amusement park adventures (more on that later) and the list goes on and on.  

Throughout my career I've always had a mantra of "anything is possible with a good pair of red shoes."  My friend's father once told me that he didn't like red shoes because that's what the hookers in Puerto Rico wore when he was a kid.  Nonetheless, I've always felt great power in a good pair of red shoes.  How many times do we have a day that we think, "huh, how about I stay in my bed, firmly planted under the covers, and the grown-upping ceases?"  I've had them a few too many days in my life, but some of the BEST days I've experienced have been those when I kicked myself out of bed, got dressed, threw on my red shoes and showed up.  It's not easy.  I've talked about my bestie relationship with a thing called depression and one thing that is a consistent is this: the days you want to stay in bed and give the hell up are the days you need to get out of bed the MOST and move and be active.  It is seriously the biggest, most painful paradox, but it's true.  Get that blood flowing and force your brain to think about things other than the suckiness of your life and find the sunshine.  

Faith in the unknown is an on-going battle for me.  I'm a planner, a doer, a giver and a lady who likes to have a clear idea of where I'm headed next.  A wise friend gave me the advice that I need to "breathe and trust" and let life happen.  Phew!  Wait, what?  You want me to settle down and trust?  Whoa, whoa the faith train has pulled into town and I have been issued a first-class ticket.  It's so simple and I'm here to say, it works.  As I calm down, I tend to think more clearly and see those small and simple blessings that are right in front of my face. . . and then there was the day I let my bestie talk me into something completely c-razy, but it proved a fierce point that I needed re-enforced: I can do scary things.  

See this photo?  To some it may look like a 'gorgeous Utah sunset' but to me it is pure and utter craziness because I was standing in line to get on this nutso roller coaster at Lagoon.  Behold, the white roller coaster of death.  The rickety, scary-as-hell, oldest, made-of-wood roller coaster.  My Lu bestie came to visit this last weekend and she had passes to Lagoon for her company summer party that she shared for my birthday adventure present.  I'm a lost cause at amusement parks.  I have a weak stomach, issues with heights and the attention span of a 5 year-old while waiting in line.  However, I also know that I don't die when I'm under the influence of Dramamine and if I calm down and close my eyes (total child) I do actually have fun.  So, little by little she got me to go on crazy-ish rides.  When she suggested the white roller coaster I thought, "why the hell not?  I won't die.  I might come close, but I won't die."  So crazy that I did it and I am pretty sure I was more entertaining for her as I tried to not wet myself or cry or both.  But!  I DID IT!  I so totally did it and I walked away feeling like a champ because I overcame a serious amount of fear.  As I was walking like a drunken sailor to the concession stand for my free Diet Coke (WINNING!) I said to her, "you do realize this is going in my next blog post?"  So there you go.  Laugh amongst yourselves that I even told you about it. 

So, back to the real photos....I had so much fun shooting this outfit with Kelsey.  It had a vintage, sassy flair...which shouldn't surprise any of you.  The cardigan is from college (a LONG time ago) and I refuse to get rid of it.  The dress was a great D.I. find, the necklace is from Chic Style Utah and the shoes were on sale at PayLess.

What I love about life is that sometimes the best coping mechanism is wearing a good pair of red shoes and throwing on those sunnies to have a moment to breathe while no one is looking in your eyes to see the real story.  We can't wear our sunnies all the time, but we can sure take a break and look hot whilst letting ourselves breathe and trust.

So, here I am in the middle of the road.  Which adventure next?  Which staircase should I take?  At this very second I don't know the answer, but I know that life keeps moving forward and the blessings keep falling out of the sky and I continue to keep a straight path in sight and a smile on my face.

The moral of the story:  Life will always have a new adventure for us to tackle, but the good news is: we CAN do scary things and we DO live to tell about it!

Until next time, my lovelies!
-R

In My Life.

This new set of photos with the lovely Kel-Z Photography has really blown me out of the water.  It's by far the series that I am the most comfortable with and feel like I look like myself.  This particular outfit is no exception.  In fact, this outfit has a long list of stories.  The skirt basically cut off all breathing ability and we giggled a LOT as I tried to drive us around Ogden cut off lung capacity.  The belt is turned backwards because I think it looks dumb the "normal" way with this tunic from Chic Style Utah.   Last, but not least, the shoes are bad-ass-smokin hot, but were purchased in an extremely challenging period of my life.  And thus, we engage in some real talk avec Ray for this week's blog post.  

A couple of months ago I decided to deep clean the closet and donate a LOT of shoes to a non-profit that my friends run.  As I was going through my shoes I came upon these beauties.  At first glance my heart jumps a little because they are HOT.  Vintage-inspired, polka dots, peep toe, good heel.  But, in the same string of happy emotions, my heart also sinks just a tiny bit as I have a flashback with a flood of memories that are attached to these shoes.  In that moment, as I sat on my closet floor, I opted to keep them because I needed the reminder of how far I've come since they were purchased lots of years ago.  

One of my favorite Beatles hits is "In My Life."  The lyrics speak to me and it is one of those songs that I will randomly remember while I'm going about my day and sing out loud.  The lyrics I particularly love are, "There are places I remember all my life.  Though some have changed, some forever, not for better; some have gone and some remain.  All these places have their moments of lovers and friends I still can recall.  Some are dead and some are living; in my life I loved them all."  Things have changed for me; friends and loves have come and gone, but I do remember them all.  When I think about the events that surround these shoes I get teary.  Not because I'm sad that it didn't work the way I thought it was supposed to; that was impossible.  I get teary because I was STRONG in my time of weakness and I worked through it and I am a BETTER human because of it because I let God's timing take over.  

This past week I felt compelled to share my "closing remarks" from my last session of therapy with a dear friend.  It's been at least 2 years since I've read them from start to finish.  They are the kind of words that I am a-OK with staying in the past, but I haven't forgot what I wrote.  My therapist encouraged closing remarks with a series of questions that were the highlights of the goals I set to accomplish in my journey with her.  For me, it was a critical part of my healing because it forced me to really think about what we had accomplished, but what I also had in front of me as I went about my life without the security blanket of a third party helping me cope.  I've decided to share a portion of them with you today because I think this is a sentiment that many of us can relate to at some point in our life.  I can also attest to the absolute feeling of despair and mourning that I felt as I went through the process of therapy.  As you shed the shit your brain actually has to go through a process of reprogramming to adjust to life being different (even though it is better).  

"In many great movies when the film concludes the sorrowful words, "The End" stream on the screen and the viewer is done.  Done knowing what happens next and perhaps hoping for more.  However, with most stories "The End" really just means an end to THAT moment, not an end all together.  

So, here I sit celebrating that I am at the END of my time in therapy.  

It's not easy to admit you're jacked up to a complete stranger.  It actually sucks really bad and hurts like hell,  But, slowly as each layer of hate was peeled back and thrown away I got better.  For every bad thing I went through it seemed that little good things snuck their way in.  

The question has been posed to me when do you go back to loving deeply and what is the plan?  Well I don't know what the plan is.  The last 2 years were hell on earth and I had to purge some of those I loved the most out of my life because their love was toxic.  And I am here to tell you that any way you toss it up, toxic is still toxic.  

So, with a tear in my eye and a cute new outfit to boot....I say, cheers to the end because it only means a new beginning."

As soon as I copied those words in to the email for my friend I had to take a long, deep breath.  A moment to let it sink in that I HAVE improved.  I HAVE grown.  I HAVE overcome so much.  And thank God.  I thank Him every single day for The End meaning The Beginning for me.  

Not all therapists are created equal (they are still human) and I've had friends express sentiments of frustration that their attempt at therapy wasn't as successful as mine.  On the same hand, I've also had friends who have shared my sentiments that therapy was absolutely the BEST choice they've ever made because it saved their life and gave them the coping skills that they were missing and helped them move on.  If you are reading this and thinking, "I'm one of those people who HATED therapy."  Please don't give up.  Shop around.  This is your life we are talking about!  Embrace that you are in control of your happiness and healing and find your "Jenn."  She or He is out there; I promise.  

The Beatles' "In My Life" continues by saying, "And I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before.  I know I'll often stop and think about them.  In my life I loved you more.  In my life I loved you more." 

For me, the words "in my life I loved you more" are talking about me.  I HAD to love myself more and because I did, I took that leap and created a new beginning out of what seemed to be the end.  Dig deep, find that love for yourself, be brave, and have the courage to embrace the end being your new beginning.

The moral of the story:  The storms of life are REAL and will suck all the color out of life, but if we will have courage, faith and perseverance, the colors and sunshine WILL return.  In your life and in my life, love them more as we recall that they are the beginning, not the end.  

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R

Friends ARE the Spoon Full of Sugar.

Guess what, my lovelies!?  It's time for the next round of fabulous photo shoot features and blog posts with Kel-Z Photography.  I am beyond pleased with the results from this shoot and I can't wait to share my thoughts with you as well as her incredible art.

It's always a huge delimmma as to which outfit I will feature first because I love them all.  Generally, it comes down to the theme that I am going to talk about that makes the decision easy.  Such is this case this week.  First of all, can we all just stop and sigh in unison over the door in the photo above?  I have noticed that there are some pretty rad doors on the buildings in Ogden so I wanted to center some of my photos around those.  Random?  Yep!  Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  This group of photos were shot in front of the USDA Building on the corner of Adams Avenue and 25th Street here in Ogden.  Really cool building.  I was so giddy when I discovered it and that door.  Aw, the door.  The top I am wearing is from Chic Style Utah in South Ogden, UT.  It's a longtime favorite because of its simplicity and elegance.  Be sure to check them out by going HERE!

For the majority of my professional life in the service industry, I've played the game of association to remember people, places, things, events, lots of things.  I especially do this with clothes.  I remember people by the outfit and/or shoes they were wearing when I first met them or first saw them (that secret crush....aw yes.....that day....he looked so handsomer).  But, on the same hand, I also remember things with the clothing I have.  My entire closet is full of memories (LOTS of them...let's not get into that subject)  This outfit is substantially significant because it represents two of my dearest, longest friends who have done SO much for me in such small and simple ways.  And so I submit, in true Mary Poppins form, friends ARE the spoon full of sugar that makes the bitter medicine of life go down.

A couple of years ago I served on a committee for a Great Gatsby-themed charity gala in Utah County.  It was one of the greatest experiences of my life for a long list of reasons.  In the midst of all the planning for my part with the decorations, I was desperately trying to find the PERFECT outfit.  I went back and forth on the outfit options and what style I wanted.  I had told my friend Colleen that I was stressing over the outfit (normal in Ray Land) and one day I get a text from her that says "what size shoes do you wear?"  I told her and she replied, "I just found the most perfect Gatsby shoes and I am buying them and sending them in the mail tomorrow....be on the look-out.  You have to have them."  At this point, I hadn't decided which route I was going to take with the outfit, but was SO touched that she was on the look-out for the perfect shoes in Montana.  I had no idea what they looked like, but I trusted her judgement and when the box landed on my doorstep and I opened it,  I cried.  Basically, the perfect shoes, perfect fit and totally my style for everyday wear, not just for the event.  It may sound silly, but I treasure these shoes because of the thoughtfulness and genuine care of my friend that they represent.  I can absolutely attest to how hectic my friend's life is running a business, managing a household of hooligan boys and a diva dog, but she STILL makes time for her friends and these shoes are my constant proof.  How often do we take time to think outside of the box and do something for our friends that they would never ever do for themselves OR have the means to do?  

And then there was the skirt.  If you've been a die-hard fan of the blog, you may recognize it from a very early fashion feature that talked about my love for thrifting for things that I can transform from ugly to masterpiece.  When I wear this skirt I think of my Jo.  This skirt was the result of an SOS trip to Idaho to meet each other in the middle for comfort food, girl talk and thrifting....let me elaborate.  Jo and I have been BEST friends for 12 years.  We have gone to hell and back with each other.  We talk almost daily and are sisters from other misters.  Her family is my family.  We became friends while I lived in Montana and one of the other quirks I have is my passionate (ok maybe a little too dramatic...maybe not) love affair with Taco Johns.  It's cheap tex-mex and I HEART it.  They don't have these restaurants in Utah and it is my comfort food.  So silly, but the absolute truth and presents a problem when I am having a BAD day and just want to feel some normalcy again.  There is a Taco Johns in Pocatello, Idaho which is bascially half way for Jo and I so one Saturday I sent her the SOS text and said, "do you have plans today, I am getting in my car and driving to Taco Johns in Pokey, can you meet me?"  At this point in my life, that was a very out-of-character move and she dropped everything and got in her car and came to my rescue.  Do you have those friends that the minute you see them and hug them that you feel like you're not going to implode and can continue to conquer the world?  Jo is on that list.  She's simply amazing.  That day included a lot of shared feelings from both of us over potato oles and Diet Dew and then we found the local thrift store and laughed and laughed over how horribly ugly this dress was and how I would make it pretty and convert it to a skirt.  You don't believe me?  Look at the original blog post HERE.  It was crazy ugly and I wasn't wearing a lick of makeup when we did the duck face photo in the store.  We've since made one other SOS trip to Pocatello and it was full of laughing, eating and thrifting....our favorite.  I thank God daily for the blessing of this bestie of mine.  She does so many small, simple acts of kindness for everyone around her, including me.  But, I have to say that I adore the fact that she is my voice of reason and consistency that keeps me moving forward in the thick of the storm.

This wouldn't be a true post about simple acts of kindness without giving accolades to Suzy from Just Be Purses.  She has a really great Utah-based business called Just Be Purses.  I love her ability to make seemingly "weird fabric" into GORGEOUS one-of-a-kind masterpieces.  I featured her bags in my winter photo shoot and this time around I wanted to feature her clutch.  Isn't it gorgeous????!!  I was glad I found this one and even more grateful for her generosity in donating it for the photo shoot as well as a clutch that we are giving away (as shown below).  Genuinely kind people make life bearable.  Please show her some love by checking out her Facebook page HERE and go visit her booth at Logan's Summerfest next weekend!!  

The moral of the story: thank GOODNESS for friends who are the spoon full of sugar as we swallow the bitter medicine that is life at times.  They bring us sunshine, potato oles, and the perfect shoes...among a long long list of other things.  Thank yours today.  Do it.  NOW.  

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R

  

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Love The Life You Live.



Did your mother and/or grandmother ever tell you, "you're not allowed to wear pattern with pattern because that doesn't match and is against the rules."  Mine did and for a lot of years I was terrified to sport pattern avec pattern because I felt like I was a walking fashion travesty.  Well, guess what?  Rules schmools, my lovelies....step outside of the box and give it a try like I did with outfit #2 for my winter photo shoot on COLOR!  This outfit is all sorts of wonderful from Chic Style Utah, Just Be Purses, Le Gap and Girl Ran Away With The Spoon.

This outfit has so many great elements.  The top is from Chic Style and is made by an American company called Kut from the Kloth.  It is such a phenomenal line and the quality makes up for the price.  I have a LOT of it in my closet.  The camisole that I'm wearing under it is from a company called Niki Biki.  It is a company that makes one-size-fits-all camisoles, tank tops, bandeaux, among other tops.  It's a fab line and the camisoles are extra long which is a WIN WIN WIN for this super long torso, super endowed lady.  

Can we all just take a moment and let out a deep sigh over the bag?  Oh the bag.  This is a handmade gem from a company called Just Be Purses.  My hilarious brother-in-law calls it my Mary Poppins bag.  Another funny story about this purse is it was MIA for about 6 months before I had this photo shoot because I own four of Suzy's purses and I rotate them.  Somehow this purse, which I purchased 2 years ago, got thrown in my Monica closet and sucked into the vortex of no return.  I was very glad I found it without having to disassemble the entire closet because let's be honest, that equals putting my life into my own hands.  The main reason I love Just Be Be purses is their unique design and they match everything.  Suzy uses so many different types of fabric that there is all sorts of color on each of them and I can use each purse with all my outfits...even the t-shirts and jeans.  These purses make a hoodie and jeans look bad ass and classy.  Period. 

We took the photos for this outfit in Huntsville.  What a cute little town.  I seriously love living in Ogden and I especially love Ogden Valley.  It is my happy place.  It is also fresh air in the winter...remember those crappy winter blues I told you all about?  Well, it is a regular occurrence for me to jump in my trusty SUV and take a drive to the valley to find sunshine and fresh air.  I affectionately call them Sunday sunshine adventures.

The necklace is another reminder with words.  It says "Love the Life you Live."  The artist that made it is also local (yay!) and she does great work.  Her name is Ashley Bennett Stoddard and Chic Style is the exclusive retailer for her pieces in Utah.  Ashley is also the artist that designed the snowboard pendent from my annual giveaway.  Loving the life we live can be pretty damn hard sometimes, but it can also be really glorious!  I consistently have to remind myself that I need to bloom where I am planted and embrace the here and now.  The late, great John Lennon said, "life is what's happening while we're making other plans."  Yep.  Pretty much.  How many times do we miss out on the little moments, the small victories and the simple pleasures because we are freaking the hell out about a trivial matter?  Embrace those you love more, thank the people who make your life a little easier and show compassion to those who have it worse than you.  They are out there and you may not even realize who they are.  I've found that the practice of recognizing the little things in my life that I'm grateful for helps keep me centered and grounded in the fact that I am SO very blessed.  The most important thing we should remember about life is sometimes there is a time and place for breaking the rules such as wearing polka dotted skinnies with floral or staying out late to laugh our guts out with the gal pals, telling that cute boy you know that he is in fact your favorite even though he drives you bat shit crazy OR ignoring the ever growing pile of laundry that needs to be folded.  Break the rules.  Enjoy life.  And if all else fails...choose the red shoes.... or boots in this case.

So when the going gets rough and you feel like life is against you, find a cute bag, wear pattern avec pattern, break some rules and make plans for the here and now.  You can do it.  I can do it.

The moral of the story:  With the right outfit and gratitude in your heart, you too can feel the love for the life you live.

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R

P.S.  I'm on Facebook these days!  Follow my page by clicking HERE!

Be The Change.

February is here!  Is it just me or did January FLY by?  I have been anxiously waiting to have the next set of fashion features that resulted from my 2nd photo shoot with Kel-Z Photography.  When Kelsey and I had our shoot in the fall we both agreed that we needed to do something in the winter that included getting creative with snow.  I hate winter due to really bad seasonal blues and I wanted something that was going to be FUN and focus on color!  Yes!  COLOR!  I am a lover of color in fashion and I wanted to share with you some of the methods to my madness.  So, here we go!  Enjoy and don't be afraid to try something new this week as you figure out what to wear.

There are a few things you should know about my style.  First, I don't stick to the norms and trends.  I choose articles of clothing that will stand the test of time and look awesome with lots of different things.  I have a standing rule that if I can't think of 5 outfits to make with an article while I'm looking at it in the store, I don't purchase it.  When I first met my darling friend, D'Arcy at Chic Style, I told her this rule and somehow .... maybe mysteriously.... maybe not, she always seems to have just the right things for me to try on.  The skirt in this photo is from her store and is a wonderful brand called T Party.  Oh, it is heavenly and comfortable.  This skirt jumped out at me because it was different and soft.  I'm also a big fan of mixed mediums; meaning different fabrics coupled together.  It didn't hurt that there were only two left in the store and they were both my size.  Again, somehow this manages to happen often which is why a good hearty chunk of my closet is from Chic. 

The next thing I want to talk about is sales rack shopping, specifically at Macy*s.  If you follow my Instagram feed you know that I LOVE Macy*s (even their bathroom)  and visit there from time-to-time just to peruse the sales racks.  

The sales racks at Macy*s are glorious.  They are organized by size and brand and sometimes even color.  I often have a Monica Gellar OCD geek moment because I can go right to where I need to go and find total awesomeness at a deep discount.  Here's my bit of wisdom for you: If I can buy it on sale at Macy*s for less than full price at Target, I will DO IT every damn time.  Why NOT????  I know I'm going to get a better fabric quality and just look better.  It's a win/win situation.  The mint top of this outfit was just such a scenario....I was iffy on the shape of the top, but it was like 10 bucks on sale this summer so I picked it up.  It is a favorite now and looked incredible with this skirt and jacket.

The jacket is from The Loft and is old, old and old.  But!  It's timeless so it doesn't matter what year I bought it because it still looks good.  The shoes are a delightful thrifting find from Deseret Industries a.k.a. the Goodwill of Utah.  I heart them very much and I sacrificed my toes to wear them and hike in them in the snow to capture just right shot with the winding road behind us.....I will refrain from breaking out in a Beatles tune right about now.

I will STILL refrain from breaking out in a Beatles tune right about now. . . You're welcome.....

I will STILL refrain from breaking out in a Beatles tune right about now. . . You're welcome.....

Last, but definitely not least, we need to talk about the jewelry....but mostly the bracelet.  This piece is handmade by my friend, Erin, at her store The Girl Ran Away With The Spoon which is located in my hometown, Miles City, Montana.  It's one of the very first pieces I purchased from her and I wear it ALL THE TIME.  I love jewelry with words.  My brain needs nearly constant reminders that I'm going to be ok and that life is going to be ok.  When I found this bracelet I bought it because this is one of my life mantras.  Be. The. Change.  Be the force for good in someones life and in turn change your own life.  I've deeply struggled with some heartache over the years and my healer has always been serving others.  I want to do good and be the sunshine for others and change their path.  That comes with some of its own side effects and quite often I forget to think of myself first and I don't tell people when I need to be cared for.  I'm feeling that a lot right now with some specific situations in my life, but I carry on being the change in other people's lives because I know it's crucial.  I had a big event this week and was elected to be the Vice-President of the Friends Board for the Weber-Morgan Children's Justice Center.  So excited and honored!  If you recall I am a total mamma bear and I have loved serving this organization thoroughly for a couple of years.  We are shifting the thinking and philosophies for making people aware of our cause and it's both fun and nerving at times, but we are the change and I LOVE it.

I know that it's really hard to embrace change and even more challenging to recognize aspects of our life that need to be changed and follow through with it.  I've had some moments in the last couple of weeks that I asked myself, "Why?"  "Why am I still living here, why am I holding out for this, this and this and why am I sad about it, but so happy about other things?"  I don't know the answers, but I do know that when I have on a cute outfit and the desire to be the change deep in my heart, I can accomplish anything.  I might skin my knees and shed a few tears, but I am stronger for it and am helping change the world, one thing at a time.

The moral of the story:  Sometimes the winding road has bumps and causes us to stumble, but with a cute outfit full of color and randomness and a desire to be the change we can accomplish anything.

Until next time, my lovelies!  Next week is pattern avec pattern!  Yippee!!!!

-R

P.S.-

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Amy Purdy, Swag and a Giveaway!

Hello, my lovelies! I'm excited to announce my annual "All You Need is Love" giveaway.  Last year we were still small in the number of followers on le instagram, but this year I am upping my game.  I've decided to run the giveaway through the blog and thank heavens for Rafflecopter.  Nothing makes me happier than a free app that keeps me organized.  Can I get an amen, hallelujah from the congregation?

This year's giveaway is the incredible memoir by the double amputee American Winter Olympian, Amy Purdy.  If you're not familiar with her story you are truly missing out on an inspiring tale of great magnitude.  To read more and more check out her website here.  I first heard about her when she was the celebrity dance partner for Derek Hough (be still my heart) on ABC's Dancing With The Stars.  She blew my mind with her dedication and attention to detail against all odds.  It was by far one of the best seasons ever.  The best part was her ability she push Derek, a decorated and talented choreographer, to new heights by forcing him to create dance routines that accommodated her lack of nerve function in the feet.  Every week she came out and did more and more and more.  Oh and did I mention she's a kick ass snow boarder????  Um ya.  She's created a sport of its own (as if it needed to be any cooler) and has developed a technique through her ability to adapt to boarding with bionic legs. 

As I've been reading the book I have shed tears and laughed and cried again.  A lot of her story is a very spiritual one and her journey through losing her legs because of Meningitis when she was 19.  She also talks about her dad and his greatest sacrifice of donating a kidney for his daughter.  Just this week she started a new campaign with Toyota and talked about her dad.  It is the coolest ad.  Take a look by following this link.  Are you crying yet?  If you recall I wrote a blog post about my daddy, my hero, and this ad made me think of him.  He has always been SO good to his daughters and loved us just the way we were which is a tid bit crazy (we get it from our mother) and was a good sport about watching chick flicks and letting us do his hair.  He also was such a champ when we would come home and tell him about the latest cute boy that we were destined to marry.  Oh wait...that might still happen a little for this daughter.  It doesn't happen as often as high school, but there have been a few lads that my daddy definitely heard the WHOLE STORY about long before my mother.  He's always been our sentimental rock and for that I love and appreciate him so much.

As soon as I started reading the book, I knew I wanted to have it be my main giveaway this year.  February is going to be the month of LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE yourself (the good kind, not the selfish kind) and we are going to talk about embracing the body God blessed you with by rocking the COLOR in your fashion choices.  I will have fun photos from my photo shoot with Kel-Z Photography and we will talk color and pattern and a lot of other fun things.  Additionally, I'm going to spotlight my dear friend D'Arcy's wonderful store, Chic Style.  She has been such a blessing as a friend and confidant, in addition to feeding my fashion fetish and it's time to talk about why and in more detail than I have in the past.  One of the secret swag bag items is a beautiful pendant from a local Ogden Valley artist named Ashley Bennett Stoddard that Chic Style sells.  This is one of my favorite pendants that she's designed and it is a pewter snowboard.  BUT!  The fabulous thing is you don't need to be a boarder to enjoy it because she has incorporated nature into the pendent and it is a gorgeous piece to wear with just about everything.  Check it out here.  I also have a few other items in the works for the swag bag, but I'm going to keep them a secret, but they are going to rock.

I am so excited to share this book with you.  I have lived through some pretty dark days in my adult life, but NOTHING compares to what Amy Purdy has been through and she does it with such grace and poise and faith.  We can all draw such hope from reading her story and re-read it on the really BAD days.  In conclusion I want to share the following video with you from Amy's time on Dancing With The Stars.  Watch and be amazed, my lovelies. 

The moral of the story:  Even against all odds, we too can have bionic super powers and shred through life with a heart full of faith and determination!

Until next time, my lovelies!
-R

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